The union representing American Airlines pilots has raised concerns about new cockpit procedures the airline implemented Tuesday, saying pilots had not been given adequate time or training to learn them. While pilots would normally receive formal in-person or online training on procedural updates of this kind, Allied Pilots Association spokesperson Captain Dennis Tajer said that they only received a training bulletin (or handout), along with updates to the operating manual – which he estimated comprised 100 pages of reading between them – and a short video with a general overview of the changes that he says was not specific to the aircraft American pilots fly. The updates are designed to streamline pilot operations across the airline's fleet, according to Tajer. "American Airlines Flight Operations management is attempting to circumvent robust safety-related pilot training by unilaterally imposing operational changes via bulletin," leaders from the APA, which represents 15,000 American Airlines pilots, said in a post on its website Monday. "While APA does not oppose fleet harmonization, we are steadfast in our commitment that pilots must be properly trained BEFORE operating with passengers." The post went on: "This attempt to train by bulletin, while ignoring serious safety concerns and well-established best practices, runs the risk of dramatically eroding margins of safety. Our commitment to safety is unwavering, which is why we regularly update our Aircraft Operating Manuals to ensure they represent the latest and safest information for our pilots," an American Airlines spokesperson said in an emailed statement. "These changes represent industry best practice and ensure improved crew coordination and consistency across fleet types so that our pilots can easily transition across different aircraft if they choose."<br/>
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American Airlines plans to terminate service to three small markets in the USA, citing a lack of pilots and low demand for the routes. Regional operations in Columbus (Georgia), Del Rio (Texas) and Long Beach (California) will all be eliminated early in 2023, American told FlightGlobal on 6 January. Service to Long Beach will end of 28 February, while flights to Columbus and Del Rio will stop on 3 April. “In response to the regional pilot shortage affecting the airline industry and soft demand, American Airlines has made the difficult decision to end service in Columbus, Georgia, Del Rio, Texas and Long Beach, California this spring,” the airline says. “We’ll pro-actively reach out to customers scheduled to travel to offer alternate arrangements.” The US airline industry is short some 8,000 pilots, diminishing regional air service throughout the country, according to industry trade group Regional Airline Association (RAA). The pilot shortage has resulted in less or lost air service at 76% of US airports since October 2019, with many small communities becoming entirely disconnected from airline hubs. Regional carriers Envoy Air and SkyWest Airlines currently operate flights on behalf of American at Del Rio International airport, according to Cirium data. American contracts with Piedmont Airlines, PSA Airlines and SkyWest for operations in Columbus. Long Beach, on the other hand, is served by Mesa Airlines and SkyWest. Mesa is set to stop flying for American on 3 April, having severed its contract in favour of a five-year capacity purchase agreement with United Airlines. <br/>
British Airways has announced its first change of uniform in almost two decades, with options including a tunic and hijab and jumpsuits for female cabin crew. The overhaul of the flag carrier’s work attire comes after a painstaking five-year rethink by the British fashion designer Ozwald Boateng. Every member of BA’s 30,000 frontline staff will be re-clad by the summer, starting with engineers and ground handlers in the spring. The airline has resisted following rival Virgin Atlantic in offering gender-neutral uniforms or a free choice for all, with male crew getting a tailored three-piece suit with regular and slim-fit style trousers. Sean Doyle, BA’s CE, said: “Our uniform is an iconic representation of our brand, something that will carry us into our future, representing the very best of modern Britain and helping us deliver a great British original service for our customers. From the very start this has been about our people. We wanted to create a uniform collection that our people are proud to wear, and with the help of over 1,500 colleagues, we are confident that we have delivered this.” Boateng’s uniform features an airwave pattern used on the jackets, T-shirts, buttons and ties that BA said was inspired by the movement of air over an aircraft wing. BA’s financial woes during the coronavirus pandemic – which led it to axe thousands of staff – pushed back the timetable for the new look, which the designer started working on in 2018. <br/>
Qatar Airways is investigating an incident concerning reality TV show Love Island star Jack Fowler, who said he fought an allergic reaction to nuts onboard the Gulf state’s airline. The reality series star took to social media to speak about the incident during which he said his “throat closed up” after being served nuts, despite repeatedly warning Qatar Airways staff about his allergy. Fowler said his allergic reaction came after he consumed ice cream that had crushed pistachios. He was also served pastries containing nuts during his flight, though he did not eat it. “I told Qatar Airways hostess’s five times I was anaphylactic to nuts (life threatening allergy). As well as asking for reassurance when every meal was served to me, that it was nut free,” Fowler told his Instagram followers on Saturday. The reality TV star urged people with allergies to speak up about their condition onboard and asked flight attendants to implement a system that prevents similar incidents from occurring. “We would have had to divert and land in order for me to get treated in time. Moral of this story is: If you’re a flight attendant reading this, make sure you have a system that works and prevents this type of this from happening,” he said. Fowler also asked Qatar Airways to not penalise the host, praising his service throughout the flight.<br/>